


Till My Heart Stops

by Murderisinallofus (Insanityisinallofus)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Baby in the Oven, Battle, Blood, Character Death, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Red Lyrium, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insanityisinallofus/pseuds/Murderisinallofus
Summary: The stench of Red Lyrium clung to every part of her, yet there she stood, possessed and broken. But undeniably alive. His Lioness, he had failed to save her and now she was there to exact revenge for the failure."Won't you join us my Lion"
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan
Kudos: 13





	Till My Heart Stops

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Til My Heart Stops](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/573037) by Too Far Moon. 



"Amelia, I can't let you go! I can send Rylen and a battalion of soldiers." Cullen pleaded with his love as she moved about the stables making sure the horses were ready.

"And have him risk his life while I, the Inquisitor, sit here, safe and sound, in Skyhold? Cullen, love, I think not. I'm not helpless you know." She gestured to her staff leaning against the wall "besides. I'll have Bull, Dorian, and Cole with me. I'll be fine." She looked at her lion with warm emerald green eyes. "It's cute that you care about me..." She murmured as she looked to him, hearing the others come up behind them. Ready to leave. "But I'm going nonetheless"

"Amelia-" Cullen started as they all mounted up.

"NO. Cullen Rutherford, you are not swaying me. Right now you're my military advisor. And you advised that the quarry be taken down. We can handle some Red Templars, it's not that hard. We'll be back in a few weeks" Her eyes had hardened as she looked at him, sighing before she kissed his cheek, mounted her horse, and led her team out of Skyhold.

Cullen waited for a moment before hurrying up to the battlements beside his office, able to catch a glimpse of them as they started their journey. Whispering a soft prayer. "Maker...keep them safe..."

The shifting of Rylen beside him pulled him from his thoughts. Forced to reality, Cullen paled a bit as a soft, almost whimper, escaped him at the sight they beheld.

It had been weeks since he had seen or heard Inquisitor Trevelyan: His sweet Amelia, who had been missing since she left for Sahrnia Quarry in Emprise Du Lion more than three months ago.

Now she, or at least her body, stood before him. The sight alone was enough to unnerve and crack his facade of calm. Her once long, blazing, red hair was now thinned and falling out, leaving her head bald in places. Her skin, once pink and healthy, was now a sickly grey, large red crystals jutted out of her body at odd angles. The distinctive glow easily identified it.

"Red lyrium..." murmured Varric from beside the Commander. When Cole arrived back to Skyhold a month ago, only to say that the worse had happened, Cullen immediately began prepping troops to go after her, only to be stalled by Leliana and Josephine's fits that the plan was too rash.

Now it was clear that action should have been taken sooner as Dorian and the Iron Bull lumbered up beside her, both coated in growing crystals of red lyrium. Red Templars filling in behind them. Cullen felt his chest tighten and his resolve crack, upset and, despite knowing better, was naively hopeful Amelia could be saved.

At his battle cry, the two forces met in a clash.

Cullen, after killing several Red Templars, Heard the voice that stopped him dead. 

"Cullen...My lion..."

He turned to face Amelia. Her green eyes now, seemingly, glowing red as she gripped her staff, her clothes worn and ripped, a sickening smile on her face. "Have you come to join us....join me?"

He grits his teeth and sets his jaw as he looked at her, though was unable to picture her as a monster. How could he when he loved her as he did. He gripped his sword and shield tighter, shaking his head. "No...no Amelia I haven't...I came to set you free Sweetling..."

She frowned, growling as she cast a firebolt at him to which he blocked. "I like it. This power is incredible. Cullen the process only hurts for a little while...I promise. Come, let us not fight...we can be together again."

He winced and rushed her with his shield aimed low. "You know that can't happen..." He whispered and watched as her eyes hardened, blocking the spells as she cast them, before making an unplanned move, resulting in a hit along the side of his head. Knocking him back to the ground his sword and shield clattering away. "You could have joined us! Samson would have welcomed you!" She moved to stand over him as she spoke, charging another spell before she jerked, her grey skin seeming to pale even more, before blood bubbled out of her shocked mouth as the sword plunged through her sickly frame, the mage falling to the side in a heap. Cullen's sword sticking out of her stomach, shock registering on her face at the fact it was her loves sword, the lions head pummel glaring fiercely at her.

When he realized what he had done, he panicked, scrambling along the ground to her, lifting her to hold her close. "No... no Amelia no... I'm so sorry..." He looked at her as tears gathered, the fight around them no longer existing to him. He watched as she looked up at him, her eyes clearing of the foul smoke and glow that had filled them, only to watch as they were filled with tears. 

"C-Cullen....it...hurts...." She murmured softly, the ex-templar doing his best to comfort her as her lifeblood slipped out of her through the wound he had caused. "Amelia...I love you..." He whispered to her, causing a faint smile to appear on her face. "I...l-love you too...don't...f-forget that..." She whispered back as her eyes darkened and dulled as she passed, leaving the Lion of Skyhold alone without his queen.

As the sounds of battle came back into focus Cullen stood, guilt and a burning sadness driving him, as he tossed himself back into the fray, fighting with a ferocity few had seen in their commander and the sight brought them hope of winning.

Hours would pass before the fighting was done and when the last diseased templar lay dead Cullen fell to his knees, covered in the blood of both his own and others. His whiskey eyes looking, briefly, over the carnage, over the bodies of foes and friends alike. He watched as allies bodies were gathered, the three that had once stood beside them among them, the crystals that plagued them being chipped out little by little. ‘would the chantry allow them to be buried as they should be…?’. 

Sharp pain from his abdomen pulled him from his reverie. A rough noise leaving him as he looked down to the deep slash a hand was covering. A part of him was relieved to see an injury that could end him, his mind not wanting to think of the life he would have to move on with, without his Amelia, without the savior the maker had given them. A few soldiers coming then, unwanted, to his aid.

"Cullen..." He creased his brows at the sound of her voice, unsure if he was imagining it on the winds. The soldiers around him becoming slightly fuzzy.

"Cullen..!" A bit louder this time, he looked around as best he could, dazed. The fuzz growing worse.

"Cullen...WAKE UP"

The ex-templar jerked up in bed then, gasping at the darkness before he stopped to let his eyes adjust. Jerking at the gentle touch to his left before he stopped as he saw her and his memories filtered in. It had all been a dream, she hadn't died that day, because it had never happened, or any day since. She laid there in front of him, one arm missing, on account of Solas' treachery, and belly which was heavy with their firstborn. A gold band glistening on her right hand which matched his own on his left hand. And still, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"Nightmares again?" She murmured softly to him, knowing he never liked to talk too long about them.

"Yes...but it was only a nightmare...one easily forgotten thanks to my reality...." He settled back down and nuzzled her, shifting to pull her close in the darkness. "I'm sorry I disturbed you..."

"Don't be Cullen. It's alright." She nuzzled back against him, settling. "Want to talk about it? That or we can talk about the list of suggested baby names left by Sera via red fledged arrow last night." She smiled, pulling his mind from the nightmarish thoughts that caused his arms to tighten around her.

He chuckled. "Again? Haven't we told her we're not naming them Piss-Bucket or Sera Jr?" He settled more speaking again before she could. "We'll have to look over this list come daylight...for now, get more rest..."

She sighed. "Alright. Sleep well..."

He smiled. "To you as well Sweetling..." With those soft words, he drifted back to the land of dreams.


End file.
